Maybe the most misunderstood part of auto detailing is whether you need to wax or polish and what's the difference between the two. Simply put, a car wax provides a protective coat for your paint while a polish cleans your paint. Waxes usually contain a blend of carnauba and other waxes which will give a deep, wet look and that new car shine. Waxes come in liquid, paste and the Black Magic® Spray Wax even comes in an aerosol spray.
If your paint has been neglected, you might want to try cleaning it first with a polish before waxing. Because of its abrasive nature, a good polisher can remove minor imperfections, small scratches and embedded dirt to help restore the shine to your paint. After polishing, you should wax your car immediately to protect that shine.
Just like with washing and drying, there are techniques the pros use that really make the difference. Of course you know the surface has to be absolutely clean before you start waxing otherwise waxing will ground any surface grit into your paint and scratch it. As for an applicator, there are many choices including sponges, an old t-shirt and applicator pads. Whatever you choose, just make sure it won't scratch your paint.
Another key question is whether to use Carnauba Wax or Synthetic Wax. There are pros and cons of each. Carnauba waxes are obtained from the leaves of a Copernica Cerifera palm tree which grows in northeastern regions of Brazil. The tree exudes a wax through its leaves, which aid the tree in protection from the damaging sun and preventing dehydration from the equatorial climate. Carnauba is the hardest natural wax and has lustrous composition. In its raw natural state, carnauba wax is considered to be harder than concrete. Due to the fact that carnauba is a natural plant by-product, it will not react with the paint surface. Also, a natural wax is breathable, which is good for your paint. Carnauba Wax acts as a protective barrier which provides a very hard UV protective film over your car's surface that protects against sun damage, weather damage, airborne contaminants such as acid rain residue, catalytic converter emissions, bug tar, road grime, salt and bird droppings. Carnauba swells and closes its pores when exposed to water. Carnauba also dramatically reduces paint oxidation by diffusing UV and infrared radiation from the sun which can oxidize and dull your paint finish. Carnauba car wax produces an enviable deep, wet healthy shine that you can’t attain with most synthetic waxes. However, carnauba car waxes have a melting point that is easily reached in very warm climates, have limited longevity (eight to twelve weeks max), and are typically more difficult to apply and buff off than synthetic waxes. Synthetic waxes, on the other hand, will protect your paint for an extended period of time and are generally easier to apply. But they tend to lack the depth of shine that a carnauba wax can deliver. Synthetic is typically best for those folks who want a long lasting protection that's easy to apply and requires minimum upkeep.
To apply the wax, remember less is usually more. The more wax you use the more you have to remove and the greater chance you have of not removing it all. So use it sparingly. A tip to make the application process smoother is to dampen your applicator before applying the wax. Now apply about a dime size amount on your applicator and starting at the top, use front-to-back motions. Spread it on thinly and do one section at a time. Now is when you really don't want to use the old circular motion because of the potential for swirl marks.
Depending on your particular wax, you may be able to remove it immediately or need to wait until in dries to a haze. Read the bottle for manufacturer's recommendations. Now remove the wax with a clean micro fiber towel, turning the towel often. Since you applied a thin coat, or numerous thin coats, this process should go pretty easily. Here's another tip for you, all waxes are not the same. Some have special formulations that the manufacturers say are best for German or Japanese vehicle paint, while others say they're best for cars with an older finish, like Black Magic® Wet Shine Liquid Wax. And still others are formulated specifically to fill in and protect a paint based on its color. The bottom line is read the label before you buy. If you're driving a German luxury vehicle it only makes sense to use a product that's designed for your specific type of car.
When it comes to removing the wax, it should be pretty effortless. If you're having a hard time removing it, that's probably a sign you've used too much product. And one other thing, if you drop the wax applicator or your micro fiber towel, go get a clean one. The three second rule doesn't apply here. You might not see it immediately, but if that dropped towel picked up some dirt, you'll see it as you work it into your freshly detailed paint. One other tip about cleaning, wash all your car detailing micro fiber towels together, separate from your clothes. And don't use a fabric softener in the machine. Fabric softeners end up making the fibers hard, which defeats the purpose of using microfiber in the first place.
Before we move on to dressing the tires, here's another secret for you…detailer's clay. You can use clay along with a good quick detailer on your whole car to get it smooth as glass and prepare it for polishing and waxing. Or you can use it with quick detailer to safely remove that gift the birds left you while you were in your office all day. Just read the manufacturer's instructions and take your time. And never apply it in a circular motion, only back and forth in small sections. Detailer's clay and a quick detailer spray should be in every real car guy's trunk. Black Magic® Spray Wax is a great product to keep handy because it's as easy to apply as a quick detailer, but it actually provides true wax protection, so you get the benefit of great shine and the protection of wax.